Gloucestershire celebrates Tyndale!

Key quote: "AS a climax to the King James Bible celebrations in Gloucester there is to be a 'Bible Day' Saturday, July 16, from noon.

To celebrate the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible and to celebrate the life and translation work of the Gloucestershire man William Tyndale, the Rev John Shearer will give a talk at the Mariner's Church, The Docks, off Southgate Street, followed by Christians doing 'Open Air Bible Readings' at Gloucester Cross and Eastgate Street starting at 2pm."

No longer a prophet without honour in his own country!

Neil L. Inglis
Editor, TSJ

Word on the Street - NY Times Talks Tyndale...

Thanks to US-based TSJ author Ramona Garcia, who spotted this gem in this week's New York Times...

"To modern readers, the English of the King James Version sounds archaic, much as Shakespeare does. But there would have been an archaism for readers even in 1611 because the King James Bible draws heavily from a version of William Tyndale’s New Testament published in 1534 and from translations by Miles Coverdale also published in the 1530s.

Tyndale’s aspiration was to make his New Testament accessible to “the boy that driveth the plough.” Though readers often talk about the majesty of the King James Bible, what has made it live is in fact the simplicity of its language.

Scholars have often debated just how much the King James Bible has influenced the English language. They count the number of idioms — “the powers that be,” for instance — that entered the language from the Bible. They look at how often it’s cited in the Oxford English Dictionary.

T. S. Eliot and C. S. Lewis deplored the idea of considering the secular literary or linguistic influence of the King James Bible. Eliot said it had such a profound effect because it was “the Word of God.” Lewis went further. He argued that the King James Bible had little influence on the rhythms of English and that many of the Bible’s characteristic rhythms were simply “unavoidable in the English language.”

But Lewis missed the point. The King James Bible has had an enormous impact on English for the very reason that it captures and preserves — and communicates down through the centuries — the unavoidable rhythms of good English. Its words are almost never Latinate, and its rhythms are never hampered by the literalism that afflicts other translations.

It would have been so easy to get that wrong, to let scholarship overwhelm common sense, to let theology engulf plainness. We owe an enormous debt to William Tyndale’s imaginary plowboy."

To read the full piece online click here.

Scripture from Brit Stars of Stage and Screen...

Today the BBC has broadcast a series of Bible readings recorded by British stars of stage and screen. To listen online, just click on the podcast icons below (podcast files open in new windows).

The distinguished readers include:

Samuel West (winner of the London Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Shakespearean Performance for 'Hamlet'). West begins the series of readings with some of the most well known stories from the Book of Genesis - the Creation, Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel. With an introduction by the historian, Simon Schama.

Emilia Fox (star of the BBC's 'Silent Witness' who began her TV career playing Mr Darcy's sister Georgiana in 'Pride and Prejudice' and went on to play Jane Seymour in 'Henry VIII') reads the dramatic story of Noah and the Ark.
With an introduction by the historian, Simon Schama.

Dan Stevens (star of 'Sense and Sensibility' and 'Downton Abbey'). Stevens reads from the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Introduction by the historian, Simon Schama.

Hugh Bonneville (veteran of The National Theatre and RSC and BAFTA nominated for his role as the young John Bayley in 'Iris'). Bonneville reads from the stories of Abraham and Isaac and the birth of Isaac’s children Jacob and Esau, who fought even in their mother’s womb. With an introduction by author David Lodge.

Emma Fielding (fellow veteran of The National and RSC and winner of a Theatre World Award for her Broadway debut performance in 'Private Lives'). Fielding reads from the story of Joseph and his multi-coloured coat with an introduction by author David Lodge.


Email us by clicking here to let us know what you make of the readings and their introductions - we are always keen to receive your feedback.

Top billing at last - thanks to Beeb's Jim Naughtie

Thanks be to James Naughtie of BBC Radio 4 for his morning broadcast today on 'The Story of the King James Bible'.

The following passages were recorded in the Chapel at Hertford College Oxford - home to The Tyndale Society - in front of the famous Whitefriars window image of William Tyndale:

"Tyndale revolutionised English as a language. It is as big as that. He changed the way the English spoke and thought.

"It is extraordinary and one of the great mysteries of this story that a man in his late 20s, early 30s, in a garret on the continent, on the run, hunted by the establishment, eventually dying as a martyr for translation could do this.

"The whole story of The Bible in English is unthinkable without him."

To listen to the entire broadcast (available on BBC iPlayer for the next six days) click here.

(Note: Fast forward to 2.06 to skip the news broadcast at the beginning of the recording)

Thank you Radio 4!

Ohio KJV Conference Opens for Bookings...

Booking has now opened for 'The King James Bible - and its Cultural Afterlife' - a major international conference, co-sponsored by The Tyndale Society, to be held at Ohio State University, Columbus, USA between 5-7th May 2011.

The conference will focus on the making of the KJV in the context of Reformation Bible translation and printing as well as on the KJV’s long literary and cultural influence from Milton and Bunyan to Faulkner, Woolf, and Toni Morrison.

Speakers are to include: David Norton (Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand), author of 'A History of the Bible as Literature' and long-time contributor to Tyndale Society conferences; J. Philip Arthur (Independent Scholar, UK) outstanding speaker on Tyndale's work, especially remembered for our Worcester conference; Dr Gergely Juhász (K.U. Leuven, Belgium) Antwerp collaborator of Dr Guido Latré in his presentation 'Tyndale's Testament' and Dr Leland Ryken (Wheaton College, USA) distinguished writer and teacher.

Our special guest speaker will be Edward P. Jones, 2004 Pulitzer Prize winning author of the novel 'The Known World'.

Events will include plenary lectures and discussions, scholarly panels, roundtable seminars, and readings by contemporary writers.

An accompanying exhibit will be mounted by the Rare Books and Manuscripts Library.

As co-sponsor of the event, The Tyndale Society has obtained a special 50% registration discount for all Members. To obtain your discounted registration DOWNLOAD OUR SPECIAL BOOKING FORM HERE.

PS - If you are not yet a member of the Tyndale Society, it is worth noting that the $45 subscription fee will save you $50 on the price of conference registration...

Email us for more details...